ST. CROIX INSIGHTS

Our messy, beautiful lives are filled with many blessings, but those of us who are parents know that children are perhaps the greatest blessing one can know. Parenthood may not be right for everyone, but the benefits of having children and guiding their growth into adulthood are beyond measure.

But that’s not to say parenting is without its challenges.

Parenting: great challenges, greater rewards

When you first have a child, you’ll learn right away that parenting isn’t easy. There’s a lot of moving pieces—any one of which could end up in Junior’s mouth the second you turn your back—and for every time-honored method of parenting, someone’s there to tell you you’re doing it wrong.

It’s challenging, let me tell you. The internet is a modern wealth of information, and bookstores are packed with well-intentioned parenting guidebooks and resources, but at the end of the day, every family has to navigate their own journey. And that journey doesn’t always involve a lot of sleep.

The benefits of having children

Despite all the challenges, parenthood is incredibly rewarding in ways that only another parent can understand. Here are just a few of the ways in which having children enriches our lives.

• You get to raise a responsible, caring citizen who can help make the world a better place.
• A front-row seat to (and crucial role in) the complete development of a real live human being.
• You have the ability to build a family and cultivate a sense of love, security, and shared commitment.
• Your genes, your surname, and your stuff gets passed down to another generation (whether it wants them or not).
• You get a built-in support system to care for you in your old age.
• If you’re lucky, you get grandkids.

The cycle repeats

When you have children of your own—and I’m talking about the two-legged kind, although the furry and scaly ones also greatly enhance our lives—you’ll reflect on how your own mom and dad parented you. You’ll review all the mistakes you promised you wouldn’t make when you became a parent. You’ll consider how often you made them anyway.

And then you’ll hug your children, tell them you love them, and strive to keep doing better. What else can any of us do?

To my children

If you’ve been following these life lessons on the SCA blog, you know that my purpose behind these lessons is really to speak to my own children and give them some insight into who I am and how I view the world. I would like to close today’s lesson by addressing my children directly.

Maybe one day you’ll be blessed with children of your own. If you are—meaning your mom and I will be grandparents—I will have about a million things to tell you, advise you on, and suggest. But for now, I have this single warning:

Those kids will be so spoiled that all you’ll be able to do is shake your head. Please understand: it’s just our way of getting back at you for all the stuff we had to deal with when you were kids. (Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

Suggested for you: Putting Family First

Also, sign up for our eNewsletter blog that includes timely financial matters, news, and planning strategies that you can implement today.

Ask yourself- can my portfolio support my lifestyle in my retirement?